Speakers which always sound good


This is brought up because I'm home shopping, but I'm not actually looking for speakers right now, so please don't take this as a request for advice so much as opinions.

As I shop for homes I've realized how few are really equipped for the audiophile.  Too many fireplaces and windows and damn kitchens and bathrooms placed completely inappropriately for us! :-)

And as you may know, I'm a big fan of appropriate room treatments.

So, wanted to step away from this world for a bit and ask, what are speaker brands that you feel always work?  Or at least, work really well without having to think about the room acoustics or placements?  Reminder that this is 99% of the buying public.  We who have laser line levelers, a closet full of measurement microphones and a chair which bolts our head into a fixed location may not believe it is true, but this is the majority of the buying public. 

What do we, the audiophile community recommend to them to actually be helpful in getting them as many positive music listening experiences as possible?

Best,

Erik
erik_squires

erik_squires
 OP
9,636 posts
10-03-2020 10:11am
Infinity RS speakers of the 70-80 were great too,



How do they sound great in any room? You needed a huge room to put them in!   ;-)

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Infinitesimals, RS6b, RS4B, RS3A or B, RS2A or better RS2B, none of these required a huge room. The IRS series, with exception of the V and RS1As and B in the RS series. ALL work quite well in smaller rooms.

The IRS V, and RS1A & Bs, a whole different story... Really no room is good enough. Work better in an amps style setting..., NO back walls perfect!!!!

I've set up all of them with exception to the IRS V.. IRS had a great servo bass system, and planars.... Fast, accurate, and sturdy..Only problem was the dipole thing..... hit and miss between heaven and HELL in the SQ department.. Took some figuring out for sure..

Regards
@rixthetrick....at least a townhouse Mstrbdrm doesn't have the real estate some do, rivaling the entire apartments I've lived in...

Some of the smaller 'infill housing' that's sprung up in this area have lower floors the size of your master.  A set of modest bookshelves could overdrive the space with a modest amp.....

"Dinners' Ready!"

"WHAT?!" *Hit 'mute', and even the silence is deafening....*

...adding 10' ceilings turn the 'living space' into a slightly distorted cube....the only option is to turn it into a padded cell...

"Straightjackets optional @ additional cost...."

@rcprince , I believe you're correct in your assumption; although the siren call of the dedicated audio room is tempting, most would like the music where one 'lives' as opposed to withdrawing into...

Spouse shares that desire, but wants something a bit more 'plug 'n play'. 
A 'shared space system' that doesn't require an instruction manual to play an LP, a CD, listen to NPR or Spotify, and yet can be used for the flat screen for a DVD or a sat movie.

I've got the concept in mind for How to accomplish this....we're slowly getting the space to do so a reality....

*sigh*  Another story, long....I don't seem to have many short ones of late...
I have Maggie's and also Definitive Technology Mythos ST's  Love the Maggie's but they do need their space and a high watt/current amplifier.  With the Mythos I've had them in three different homes and they always sound good. They are not ported, have built in sub woofers and all in a aluminum enclosure. Matched with the proper amplifier they sound surprisingly good! If you can find a used pair they can be had for a reasonable price.

Three things:
1. room
2. books and records behind and in front of speakers
3. planar swarm

The two best rooms I have heard both used several pairs of Quad ESL's. The first uses 3 pairs of stacked Quad 57's - it snapped into focus when the last bookshelf was populated.

The other is my own, which snapped into focus when I moved a pair of 2805's and a pair of 2905's into a quasi-circular arrangement facing the listening position. The long wall, which is faced with books and records, is immediately behind the speakers which face a wall of mainly records and equipment. The listening position is only 2.5 meters from the speakers, but frequency response is pretty much flat down to low 40's.

....as long as I include the Maggies' into the shared system, I'm halfway There...*L*

The only story I find amusing of late is of the cursing parrots....;)